Trump wants to use credit scores to keep immigrants out of the countryThe Department of Homeland Security has issued a terrible proposal that intends to use immigrants’ personal credit information as part of the assessment to qualify for a green card or visa. Using an irrelevant, often error-prone, measure like a credit score to assign immigration status is not only absurd, it misuses credit information, and places financial stress and economic harm on families.

Kathy Kraninger is shockingly unqualified to lead the CFPBDespite the nominee having no related experience or qualifications, the Senate voted in a lame duck session to confirm Kathy Kraninger as the next director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Advocates urged the Senate to oppose Kraninger for lack of finance, banking regulation, or consumer protection experience, as well as for her central role in administering the inhumane and un-American policy of separating thousands of children from their parents along the southwest border.
Kraninger was later approved by Senate in a partisan 50-49 vote, with all Democrats opposing her nomination.

Consumer advocates oppose loosening rules for FinTech providersConsumer Action joined a coalition of 50 public interest groups in sharply criticizing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) proposal to gut important consumer protection rules, especially for FinTech companies, arguing the agency does not have the authority to create potentially unlimited exemptions from the very regulations that the CFPB is obligated to enforce.

Senate should reject Kraninger for CFPB DirectorEighty civil rights and consumers groups wrote to Congress, urging a “no” vote on the nomination of Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Kraninger has no record of protecting consumers or standing up to powerful Wall Street special interests—key traits we all want in America’s chief consumer advocate. Americans deserve a consumer champion at the CFPB, not someone will continue Mick Mulvaney’s anti-consumer agenda.

The CFPB’s consumer education programs must be protectedIn open comments to the agency, advocates urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to keep its education programs, just one component in its set of consumer protection tools. Other Bureau responsibilities, including its enforcement and rulemaking authority, should also be utilized to fully protect consumers in accordance with the CFPB’s mission.

Policy riders are a shady attempt at regulating CFPBFriends of Wall Street and the banking industry in Congress want to remove the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from under the Federal Reserve System where it is currently housed and funded. Instead, they want to relegate it to the appropriations process in hopes of sabotaging its independence—a key element in overseeing the consumer finance markets.

Consumers deserve more control over their credit reportsConsumer, civil rights and advocacy groups wrote to members of Congress to express opposition to the Credit Access and Inclusion Act (HR 435). This legislation, if enacted, would reduce consumers’ control over their own data by preempting state and federal privacy protections, damage the credit scores of millions of consumers with a disproportionate impact on African Americans, and conflict with long-standing state utility regulatory consumer protections.

Bill would damage credit scores of million of consumersConsumer Action joined the National Consumer Law Center and other organizations in opposition to HR 435—legislation that would reduce consumers’ control over their own data by preempting state and federal privacy protections, damage the credit scores of millions of consumers with a disproportionate impact on African Americans, and conflict with long-standing state utility regulatory consumer protections.